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Originally Posted by zensouth
The confusion about MSW may be that bachelor level graduates also go by the term "social worker" and often work for less pay than an MSW. MSW is NOT my field so I know very little about it. It sounds like what you ultimately want to become is not just a run-of-the-mill MSW but rather an Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I am not sure if MSW is the degree that leads up to that or not, you'll have to find that out for yourself.
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Yes, an MSW is the (only) degree that leads to an LCSW.
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then i looked into joint-degree programs and something about the msw+mph really appeals to me. okay one problem...i'm a psych major/bio minor. as in, have taken absolutely no social work or public health classes to date. i'm pretty sure i can't either because i've declared my minor and those spots all seem to be on reserve.
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It depends on the program, and I can't speak to the public health side of it, but many (most?) SW programs will accept students without social work backgrounds if you demonstrate extracurricular activities and/or jobs related to the field. (My B.A. is in English.) If you can show a certain level of academic ability, that'll also help.
I don't know if taking time off and working in the field is an option, but it would give you a stronger application and help you decide whether it's really for you.
I'd recommend letting your statement of purpose do some of the legwork for you in your application. That's the place to connect the dots for the admissions officer and explain how your coursework, extracurriculars, jobs, and internships shaped your goals, and how these relate to the program to which you're applying.